Interviewing Techniques Every UK Journalist Should Master

Preparation: The Work Before the Work

The best interviewers are the best prepared. Before any interview, you should research the subject thoroughly. This means reading previous interviews they have given, checking Companies House filings if relevant, reviewing any recent FOI disclosures, and understanding the broader context of the story.

Preparation also means having a clear editorial purpose. Ask yourself: what is this interview for? Is it to get a reaction quote for a news story, to explore a person's life for a profile, or to extract specific data for an investigation? Your purpose will shape every question you ask.

• Write a question list: Draft 10–15 questions in advance, but treat it as a guide rather than a script. The best follow-up questions are unscripted.
• Anticipate deflections: If you are interviewing a politician or PR-trained spokesperson, predict how they will try to steer the conversation and prepare counter-questions.
• Know the facts: Nothing undermines your credibility faster than getting a basic fact wrong. Double-check names, dates, figures, and job titles before you sit down.
• Understand the legal context: If the subject matter touches on ongoing court cases, be aware of contempt of court restrictions before you begin.

Question Types: Open, Closed, and Probing

Understanding different question types is fundamental to controlling the flow and depth of an interview:

• Open questions invite expansive answers and are ideal for feature interviews or when you want the subject to tell their story. “What was going through your mind when you discovered the documents?” gives the interviewee room to provide colour, detail, and emotion.
• Closed questions demand a specific, often yes-or-no answer. “Did you attend the meeting on 14 January?” is essential for nailing down facts in news interviews and investigations.
• Probing questions dig deeper into an answer already given. “You mentioned ‘pressure from above’ — can you be more specific about who applied that pressure?” These are where the real revelations often emerge.
• Hypothetical questions can be useful in feature writing but should be used sparingly in news interviews, where they can allow interviewees to dodge the real issue.
• Devil's advocate questions put the opposing view to the interviewee. “Your critics say this policy has failed — how do you respond?” This technique satisfies IPSO and Ofcom accuracy requirements by ensuring the subject has a chance to respond to criticism.

Building Rapport Without Losing Independence

People give better interviews when they feel comfortable. Building rapport does not mean becoming friends with your subject — it means creating an atmosphere where they feel heard and respected. Start with easier, less confrontational questions to warm up. Show genuine curiosity. Use the interviewee's name. Make eye contact if you are meeting in person.

However, rapport must never come at the expense of editorial independence. The NUJ Code of Conduct makes clear that journalists should not allow personal relationships to compromise their professional integrity. If you need to ask a difficult question, ask it — but do so with courtesy and professionalism.

Handling Difficult Interviewees

Not every interviewee wants to talk, and not every interviewee plays fair. Here are strategies for common challenges:

• The stonewaller: When someone refuses to answer, try rephrasing the question. If they continue to block, note the refusal in your copy — “When asked about the expenses claim, Councillor Smith declined to comment.”
• The filibusterer: Some interviewees, particularly politicians, will talk at length without saying anything meaningful. Interrupt politely but firmly: “I appreciate that, but my specific question was about the budget shortfall.”
• The hostile subject: Stay calm and professional. Never match aggression with aggression. Record everything. If you feel threatened, leave the situation and note what happened.
• The emotional subject: Victims of crime, bereaved families, and trauma survivors require particular sensitivity. The IPSO Editors' Code (Clause 5) requires sensitivity when dealing with people in grief or shock. Give them time, offer to pause, and never pressure anyone to continue.

Recording Consent and UK Law

Recording an interview raises important legal and ethical questions in the UK:

• In-person recordings: Under UK law, it is legal to record a conversation you are a party to without the other person's consent (the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 focuses on interception by third parties). However, best practice — and the standard expected by most editors — is to always inform the interviewee that you are recording.
• Telephone recordings: The Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice) Regulations 2000 allow recording of calls for journalistic purposes. Again, transparency is the professional norm.
• Covert recording: This is only justifiable in the public interest and should be a last resort. Both the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and the IPSO Editors' Code require that covert recording is proportionate and that the information could not be obtained by other means.

Off the Record, On Background, and Not for Attribution

These terms are frequently misunderstood, and confusion can damage trust and even lead to legal disputes. UK newsroom conventions generally follow these definitions:

• On the record: Everything said can be quoted and attributed by name. This is the default for any interview unless otherwise agreed.
• Off the record: The information cannot be published at all. It is background for the journalist's understanding only.
• On background / not for attribution: The information can be published, but the source is not named. Instead, you use a descriptor such as “a senior government official” or “a source close to the investigation.”

Crucially, off-the-record status must be agreed before the information is shared, not after. If a subject tells you something on the record and then says “that was off the record,” you are under no obligation to withdraw it — though you may choose to do so to maintain the relationship for future stories.

Phone vs Face-to-Face vs Video Interviews

Each format has strengths and weaknesses, and the choice depends on the story, the interviewee, and the deadline:

• Face-to-face: The gold standard for features, profiles, and sensitive investigations. You can read body language, build stronger rapport, and observe the interviewee's environment. Always try to meet in person for major interviews.
• Phone: Fast, convenient, and often the only option for daily news. You lose visual cues but gain efficiency. Record the call (with notice) to ensure accuracy.
• Video (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet): A post-pandemic staple that splits the difference. You get some visual cues, but the connection can be less natural. Technical glitches can disrupt the flow. Always have a phone number as backup.
• Email: Useful for factual follow-ups and when sources insist on responding in writing. However, email interviews lack spontaneity and allow the subject to craft carefully polished answers. Use them as a supplement, not a substitute.

Interviewing Vulnerable and At-Risk Subjects

Some of the most consequential interviews a journalist conducts are with people who are vulnerable — victims of crime, bereaved families, children, people in mental health crisis, or those from communities that have historically been misrepresented by the press. These interviews demand a distinct approach beyond the general techniques already covered.

• Informed consent takes longer: Explain clearly how the material will be used, where it will be published, and what control (if any) the interviewee will have over the final piece. Do not rush this conversation.
• Children and young people: IPSO Clause 6 (children) imposes specific requirements, including parental or guardian consent in most circumstances and a prohibition on approaching children at school without permission. See the IPSO Editors' Code for the full safeguarding provisions.
• Trauma-informed technique: Avoid making a traumatised interviewee repeat distressing details unnecessarily. Signal clearly when you are moving to a harder question, and check in periodically about whether they want to continue.
• Right to pause or withdraw: Make clear at the outset that the interviewee can pause, take a break, or decline to answer any question without it ending the interview.
• Aftercare: For particularly distressing interviews, consider signposting support organisations relevant to the subject matter (bereavement charities, mental health helplines) as a matter of basic care, separate from your journalistic role.

Note-Taking and Accuracy

Whether you use shorthand (Teeline is the UK standard, required by the NCTJ), longhand, or a laptop, accurate note-taking is non-negotiable. Here are practical tips:

• Record as a backup, but take notes simultaneously — if the recording fails, your notes are your safety net.
• Mark direct quotes clearly in your notes. Use quotation marks or a system of symbols so you know which words are verbatim.
• Write up your notes as soon as possible after the interview while your memory is fresh.
• Keep notebooks and recordings for at least 12 months after publication — longer for investigations or legally sensitive stories. They may be needed to defend a defamation claim.

Follow-Up: The Interview Is Not Over When You Leave

The post-interview follow-up is an often-neglected skill. Always thank the interviewee, confirm any facts you are unsure about, and ask if there is anything they would like to add. This is also an opportunity to request supporting documents, data, or introductions to other sources.

For ongoing investigations, maintaining a professional relationship with sources is essential. A brief email after publication letting them know the piece has gone live is a small courtesy that can yield future stories.

Practical Checklist

Run through these before, during, and after any significant interview:

• Research the subject thoroughly and draft 10–15 questions as a guide, not a script
• Check any contempt of court or legal restrictions affecting the subject matter before you begin
• Inform the interviewee you are recording and confirm the terms of on/off-the-record status before they speak
• Take contemporaneous notes as a backup even when recording
• For vulnerable interviewees, explain clearly how the material will be used and confirm ongoing consent throughout
• Save devil's-advocate or hostile questions for the middle or end of the conversation
• Write up notes and file recordings as soon as possible after the interview while memory is fresh
• Retain notebooks and recordings for at least 12 months, longer for legally sensitive stories

Common Mistakes

• Scripting every question in advance: Rigid adherence to a question list means missing the best follow-up questions, which usually emerge from what the subject just said.
• Agreeing off-the-record status after the fact: If information is shared on the record and only later declared “off the record,” you are under no obligation to withdraw it — but confusion here damages trust and can trigger complaints.
• Leading with the hardest question: Opening with a hostile or accusatory question before rapport is established often shuts the interview down entirely.
• Relying solely on a recording: Recorders fail. Always take notes simultaneously as a backup.
• Treating all vulnerable subjects the same: A bereaved parent, a child, and a person in mental health crisis each require distinct sensitivity — do not apply a single generic approach.
• Forgetting the aftermath: Failing to follow up, verify unclear points, or notify the subject when a piece is published damages source relationships for future stories.

Red Flags to Watch For

• An interviewee's answers change substantially once they realise they are being recorded
• A PR minder repeatedly interrupts or answers on behalf of the interviewee
• A vulnerable interviewee appears to be answering under pressure from a family member or third party present
• You cannot recall whether a specific piece of information was agreed as on or off the record
• A source's account cannot be corroborated by any independent document or second source

Further Resources

• UK Journalism Ethics Codes — IPSO and NUJ guidance on interviews
• Investigative Journalism Techniques — Source development and OSINT
• Making the Most of Press Conferences — Asking the right questions at events
• Resources Library — Templates and quick-reference guides